My IoT Home Products – Raves & Reviews

I have a very connected home, all built a few years ago around a Gen1 SmartThings Hub.   I mix ZigBee, Z-Wave, Wifi and home-grown RPi or Arduino controlled devices.  Hopefully this post will show some of the available options out there.

My Hub: SmartThings Gen 1 –  It sometimes disconnects or their APIs go down for a few minutes, but overall it has been OK since Samsung bought them.

Connectivity: TP Link Powerline AV200 Nano ethernet to run it back to my Amplifi Mesh Wi-Fi router.  These are insanely easy to pair.  If your power is all on one circuit breaker, just plug them in and press the sync button on each.

I do not have my hub next to my router directly plugged in, since Gen 1 did not autodetect ZigBee interference and change channels.

Voice Controls

• Amazon Echo, courtesy of Cohesity from my Storage Field Day appearance
  • You tell it to import your devices from Smart Things, then setup rooms

• Amazon Echo Dot – In Office & Kitchen

Light Switches:

• Sylvania Smart Home 73743 Lightify Smart Dimming Switch
  • These are AWESOME!  They go OVER your existing light switches.   Single press up or down, or press and hold functionality.  I wish these existed 4 years ago!
  • I have these in almost every room in my house

• Aeon Labs Z-Wave Minimote
  • For simple control of my devices anywhere in the house.
  • Recharged via MiniUSB
  • 8 buttons, with press/hold support
  • I think it’s discontinued but still available some places online

Door/Window Sensors

• Visonic MCT-340 E Wireless Door Window Temperature Sensor
  • My latest favorite, have over a dozen
  • Thin profile
  • Long range, good signal (works a few floors up, through walls/ceiling
  • Long battery life
  • Immediately detected
  • Lowest price of any I’ve bought

• Ecolink Intelligent Technology Z-Wave Easy Install, Battery Operated, Door/Window Sensor, White & Brown (DWZWAVE2.5-ECO)
  • I have about 6 of these
  • Previous favorite before the Visonic came out

Power Outlets

• GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting Control, Duplex Receptacle Outlet, On/Off, White
  • Installed in-wall in my Office (Since I rent, I don’t like to install in wall, but my 3d printer and other electronics are on this so I wanted the safest method)
  • Works well, never disconnected from hub
  • I use previous gen 12721 model

• Samsung F-OUT-US-2 SmartThings Outlet
  • Good to use as a Zigbee Repeater
  • Side mount power button
  • Light on it is bright, so I use it as a nightlight in a few spots

• Aeon Labs DSC06106-ZWUS – Z-Wave Smart Energy Switch
  • High wattage (1875w) for larger appliances such as air conditioner
  • It’s a beast

• Inovelli 2 outlet
  • Works as a Z-Wave/Z-Wave Plus repeater
  • 1 always on outlet, 1 smart outlet

• Zooz Z-Wave Plus S2 Power Strip ZEN20 VER. 2.0 with Energy Monitoring and 2 USB Ports
  • Works well
  • ST integration is weird with how the multiple ports are shown. Wish there were options for groupings or seeing it as sub devices
  • Reports lots of values for reporting or actions
  • Use this controller: https://community.smartthings.com/t/release-zooz-power-switch-zooz-smart-plug/97220?u=krlaframboise

• AVOID: Belkin Wemo Outlett
  • This is utter crap!
  • Don’t buy anything Wemo!

Lighting

• Philips Hue White Ambiance w/ Hue Hub (Integrated to SmartThings)
  • Hue lights are near-Zigbee but not quite Zigbee lights, so you will need the Hue Hub as well.
  • I have some scenes with up to 9 bulbs in it.  My old Cree lights would broadcast flood as ZB repeaters and basically crash before the scene command (on/off/change settings) completed.
  • Use this instruction to integrate your Hue lights to Smart Things.

• Cree Connected Daylight Bulbs
  • Update:  My love for them is gone.  I am barely using these any longer.
    • Cree lights try and fail to work as Zigbee repeaters, and end up flooding each other out before scenes completely.   I can switched over to using Philips Hue White Ambiance lights.
  • Home depot has stock left over.
  • Sometimes SmartThings has problems with lighting routines with lots of lights

Safety / Security

• Nest Protect Smoke Alarms
  • In every room, hallway, basement
  • It performs monthly sound and healthchecks
  • Nightlight functionality for a few seconds when lights go off
  • App enabled for silencing or warning when away
  • Meshed: When one goes off, they ALL go off.   They tell you where the primary issue is, spoken.

• Nest Cam – Outdoors
  • Multiple outside, and on my turtle tank
  • Simple to install, screw in aa base, Camera is magnetically mounted
  • Good resolution
  • Auto switches to night mode
  • Power needs to be within 20ft, and in a secure area

• Nest Cam – Indoors
  • Similar to above
  • Buy in combo kits to save money
  • It’s a puck.  Comes with a stand
  • $100/yr for 10 days history for the first, $50/yr for each after
  • I 3d Print wall mounts (This mount is good for flat mounting https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2414713 )

• Yale Security Key Free Touchscreen Deadbolt with Z-Wave (YRD240-ZW-619) (Zigbee option also available)
  • Works well
  • Multiple codes can be programmed
  • Can notify Locked/Unlocked/Unlocked for X time
  • Can lock it via Smart Things app or API call
  • Can NOT unlock via app, which is good for security

• First Alert Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Detector Alarm | Z-Wave
  • Bought for a VERY specific use case. (Auto triggering safety systems if 3d printer catches fire)
  • I wouldn’t recommend for whole home coverage
  • Go for Nest Protect Instead

Services & Misc:

• IFTTT
  • A web or app hub is great, but for complex routings, you’ll want IFTTT!
• DO
  • Owned/ran by IFTTT
  • Simple phone app. Press a button on app and it ties into IFTTT which ties into my IoT world
• Amazon Lambda
  • Good for linking web based triggers or API calls to IFTTT to Devices and vice versa
  • Used with Amazon IoTT Buttton
• Amazon IoT button
  • On Press: Makes an API call to Amazon Lambda serverless web service
  • Use Node.js or other languages to call out a program to fire actions.

• Raspberry Pi and Arduino
  • When ever I need something one-off or specific done
  • Example:  Smoke or fire above my 3d printer
    • IoT smoke detector alarms
    • If temperature increases, trigger action
      • Kills power to 3d printer outlet
      • Triggers Arduino controlled servo
        • Servo presses small bottle of fire extinguishing spray

I’m sure I forgot about something. I’ll add to this list later.

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